New data from the National Science Foundation shows significant racial differences in how students support their doctoral education. According to data on students who earned doctoral degrees in 2012, nearly 40 percent of African American doctoral recipients funded their education through their own resources. Only 21.3 percent of Whites funded their doctoral education primarily through their own resources.

In turn, only 10.9 percent of African American doctoral degree recipients funded their education through teaching assistantships. For Whites, nearly 21 percent had teaching assistantships which were the primary source of their educational funding. Another 24 percent of White doctoral recipients funded their education through research assistantships compared to 13 percent of African American doctoral recipients.

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Professional sports teams have discontinued playing Kate Smith’s version of “God Bless America” at games due to her recording of songs in the 1930s that contained racist lyrics. Which statement best reflects your view?

I agree that Smith’s version of “God Bless America” should not be played.

Smith’s recordings with racist lyrics should be considered in context of the times.

Abraham Lincoln made racist comments, should we ban the reciting of the Gettysburg Address?